authorblog

When you wish upon a star

2011-09-06T07:37:00.000+11:00

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 142-8714

It’s really fitting that the base of this Kylie Minogue statue is a star, because the ex-“Neighbours” actress has been one of this country’s biggest stars since the Eighties.

Notice something strange? If you look really carefully at this image, you’ll see that the singer’s right foot is on the left and her left foot is on the right. But that’s because her legs are crossed in this famous pose, as her arms are raised heavenwards in triumph.

Interestingly enough, the model for the Docklands statue, unveiled in 2007, was not Kylie herself but a body double, Sophia James.

If you take a look at the image below, you'll realise why the feet are so unusually positioned. And as you can see, I wasn't the only person shooting the statue at the time!

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 142-8700

Here's A Visual Mystery For You!

2011-08-28T08:26:00.000+11:00

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 124-5919

Time to put your thinking caps on. Can you work out what on earth I've shot here? Are they Lego-like building blocks? Are they extras on the set of a Toy Story film? Are they colourful cogs in some futuristic mechanism?

No, they're actually a row of little "floral people". Each of them is about a metre high. Each was a different shape and painted in a different colour. They were simply meant for toddlers to put their head and shoulders through, and were in display at the Moomba fairground here in Melbourne.

I shot this in March 2010. Because I had my long lens on, I was able to find an angle lining up each object and shooting them in a tight frame creating a visual puzzle. It's all about angles of perception, really ...

But this is what the brightly painted figures looked like when viewed normally!

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 124-5916

Wedding Presence

2011-08-16T21:56:00.000+11:00

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID:135-2148

My new wedding photography site has been launched. It is here and if you have the time, I'd like to know what you think of it. Feel free to critique the design, the content and the display.

Cue the theme music from Jaws

2011-08-06T23:25:00.001+11:00

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: CanberraJuly2011-7997

It might look like a fearsome carnivore, but it’s completely harmless – and it’s inanimate as well!

It’s simply a potted indoor plant outside the restaurant at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra. The shape of the leaves caught my eye and when I found the correct angle, enabling me to shoot it in silhouette against one of many lamps, I knew I had an unusual result!

Let There Be Light

2011-07-20T00:18:00.001+11:00

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 139-7018

These stage lights had me mesmerised at a recent function. They went through various colour sequences, with several swift permutations and combinations that utilised every colour of the rainbow - and then some!

There was swirling fog all across the stage, being blown by fans in every direction. I studied the lights. Then I studied the fog. Then I studied the lights again. Then I studied the fog again. Of all the light sequences and colour combinations that continued to flash, I knew which one would look the most striking.

But the real challenge was not just to wait several minutes until I had the red main light and the three blue lights. The real challenge was to wait until that particular combination of lights appeared when the fog had just the right density.

(Bear in mind this is just a low-resolution image. If you want to see it full size, you can view it here on my Red Bubble site.)

I needed just enough fog across the stage to give me the density that would work best with the blue and right lights. Too much fog and the lights would have been blurred. Too little fog and the lights would not have had the right effect.

I'll leave it to you to judge ...

The King And I

2011-07-04T00:21:00.000+11:00

Image copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 139-6914

One day Elvis was in the shop window - then he was gone. There's this beautiful white building in South Melbourne that is more than a century old. It has huge old-fashioned windows, a door that opens on the street corner, and a high turret at the apex of the V-shaped building.

It always catches my attention when I drive past this area, because it harks back to a different era and also because it is such a contrast to the other, more modern architecture that has sprung up around it. The building is now home to a place called The Costume Shop and about a week ago I noticed that one of the mannequins in the window was dressed like Elvis Presley.

I was determined to return to the area and take some shots of the figure. A couple of days later I made sure I had a few minutes up my sleeve. I parked down a side street, and walked over to the shop. To my disappointment, it hadn't opened for the day, but I decided to shoot some images from outside. Interestingly, this was not as easy as it might sound, because of the reflections in the window.

Eventually I managed to find an angle where I wasn't getting too many reflections- and trudged slowly back to my car, disappointed that I hadn't been able to get into the shop. But the next time I was in the area, a day or two later, Elvis was gone.

As a good friend of mine quipped, Elvis had well and truly left the building.

There were no clues as to his whereabouts. Not even a pair of scuffed blue suede shoes.

Pail imitation of his former self

2011-06-11T22:18:00.000+11:00

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 137-5090

A couple of months ago, the Authorbloglets and I were in the bayside suburb of St Kilda and I was ambling along the Esplanade (the "Espy" to the locals) when I spotted this sight at the Sunday market. Naturally, I had my camera with me, so I was able to take the shot of this mannequin with the unusual headgear.

When I got back home, I posted the image on my Red Bubble site, which is home to more than 1000 of my images from around the world. I threw open the image in a worldwide title-writing contest and I received so many great entries that the result was a three-way tie! You can view the high-resolution version of this image, along with all the winning entries here.

And yes, one of the joint winners was Leslie, the popular Vancouver-based blogger who took the trouble to come all the way to Vancouver International Airport to have breakfast with me in August 2008.

The bride wore orange

2011-06-01T15:19:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON. Image ID: 139-6680

She was only three when the Steve Martin version of the film 'Father of the Bride' was released. But after the movie was over, she asked her father if he - like the Steve Martin character in the script - would play basketball with her the night before he walked her down the aisle.

Instantly, the father said yes. He never forgot his promise.

A few months later, the little girl - four years old by this time - refused to let her father throw out a pair of her orange socks. They were her all-time favourite socks, she declared. The father pointed to the fact that the socks had a couple of holes in them. "That doesn't matter," said the little girl, "they're so comfortable."

Several times, the father threatened to throw out those orange socks. They sprouted (as socks do, especially favourite socks) more holes, to the point where the father, mathematical by nature, actually pointed out to the little girl that there was a greater percentage of holes than there was orange fabric. But his daughter would not let him throw out the socks.

They were her "all-time favourite" socks, remember?

Before they knew it, the little girl was 22 years old. She was about to be married. Relatives and friends flew in from far and wide. The house was even more full of laughter and joy than it was normally, because so many loved ones had travelled nigh-biblical distances to be present at her wedding.

The evening before the wedding, they didn't have the time to play basketball. They had to be at the beautiful Gothic church with the sweeping bluestone steeple for the rehearsal. Afterwards, when evening had given way to a humid night, torrential rain lashed the city. It meant they were unable to play the game of basketball they had promised each other, just a few short years earlier.

The next day, the bride's makeup was complete. The hairdresser had finished. The flower girls were ready. The bridesmaids, her closest friends in the world, were waiting for the official photographer. The house radiated happiness.

The bride was about to step into her jewellery and her wedding dress.

The proud father, his heart bursting with joy and pride and oh so much love, put something into his beloved daughter's hands. It was a brand-new pair of orange socks. "Just perfect for a basketball game," he suggested with a big grin on his face.

The bride paused. She donned her Adidas shoes. And they played the game of basketball each had promised the other.

And the bride's mother? She dropped everything to videotape the special moment on the little girl's most special day.

Try picking my most popular shot

2011-05-15T09:05:00.000+11:00

Close-up of a building facade, Whitehorse, Yukon. IMAGE COPYRIGHT: DAVID McMAHON

Some of my blog friends would remember this unusual image, shot while I stood mid-stride (yep - the things we do for art!) across a pedestrian crossing on a September afternoon in 2008 in Whitehorse, capital of Canada's gold rush Yukon region.

So I guess it would come as no surprise that this is among my most popular images. But if you wanted to skim quickly over my top dozen and a half photographs, all you have to do is click this link on my Red Bubble site. You'll see square thumbnails of my most-visited images, all on a single screen.

I'd be delighted if you could leave a comment on this blog post, saying which ones you think have attracted the most views on Red Bubble - which is an online art and photography gallery that is free to join.

When you've had a look, let me know what you think. But if you're wondering about the answer, this image has attracted by far the most views, with this image about 700 views behind, and this one a couple of hundred clicks behind in third place.

PS: Yes, I've been away a long time. But it's always great to push the door open and see who's here!

Off to the Michael B(a)uble concert

2010-12-07T00:01:00.003+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 120-1234)

No, I wasn't using a fisheye lens - but by concentrating on this bauble, high up on a five-metre Christmas tree, I have managed to acquire a fisheye effect of everything above and behind me. What you see here is a very low-res image, so if you want to see the original full-size file, just click here to view it on my Red Bubble site.

This unusual Yuletide image was shot in Melbourne last November. These giant Christmas trees are on display in a public area and in order to shoot this bauble placed so high on the tree, I had to use my 300mm lens at full stretch!

Verse and worse

2010-12-06T12:01:00.001+11:00

Mrs McClusky had a pet husky

That could play the piano while using a bus key

But as we discovered, on grand concert night

Its Bach was definitely worse than its bite

You can't drive THIS Chrysler

2010-12-06T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-30June-9305)

As most of you would know, my continual quest is to find fresh, unusual angles of familiar landmarks. Along with Mrs Authorblog and the Authorbloglets, we were walking towards Grand Central Station in New York City in June this year - and of course, I was lagging because I was taking quick shots of the skyline while we walked.

Then we stopped for the lights at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street and, as I always do, I did a quick scan on all four points of the compass, then I looked directly up. There, above me, was the shot I wanted. I shot the Chrysler Building's distinctive Art Deco shape through the street lights above me.

This is simply a low-resolution image, but if you want to see the original in full resolution on my Red Bubble site, just click here and I hope you enjoy what you see.

Verse and worse

2010-12-05T12:01:00.002+11:00

I have this friend called Malcolm

Who has blind faith in talcum

Instead of tucking in to chowder

He's out buyin' stocks in powder

How does your garden grow?

2010-12-05T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 131-6568)

Judging by the state of these window boxes in the bright sunlight, the first-floor garden is thriving, thanks very much. This was shot on Lygon Street, the place that is home to Melbourne's unique cafe culture. It doesn't matter what sort of cuisine you're looking for, this is where you'll find it, day or night.

It was a warm afternoon, and the summery colours of this restaurant's facade really dictated that I had to stop to take a shot or two. The orange trellis work was central to what I wanted to depict, and if you look carefully, you'll see that the angle I chose actually meant I had to include the awning in the frame - but that I had to ensure it did not dominate any aspect of the shot!

Verse and worse

2010-12-04T12:01:00.002+11:00

If all your cables

Have "Top Secret" labels

Just wait for the geeks

To read WikiLeaks

Welcome to the new millennium

2010-12-04T00:01:00.021+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-4249)

Sometimes the most minor factors can lead you to an unusual composition. In Kuala Lumpur in January this year, we had walked past the Grand Millennium Hotel three or four times, but suddenly the hotel facade took on a whole new look late one afternoon.

The reflection on the glass exterior took on a golden hue in some parts, but the presence of a small cloud directly above the hotel drew me to shoot a tight frame, emphasising the triangle created by the blue sky above the hotel. I guess it all depends on what you "see" ...

Verse and worse

2010-12-03T12:01:00.000+11:00

So complex was the nature of the ecclesiastical riddle

That it completely flummoxed old Archbishop Siddle

He consulted the scripts and staked out the priory

His mood was somber but his language quite fiery

Farewell to November's last light

2010-12-03T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 132-8790)

It was the last day of spring, and the post-sunset sky show was brief but memorable. A range of colours rolled across the landscape as the last light of November began to fade away in spectacular fashion.

It's been a wet spring and we're being told the showers will continue pretty much through December. But for a country that's been in drought for eight years, that is the best news ever. Bring on those showers!

Verse and worse

2010-12-02T12:01:00.002+11:00

A would-be accountant named Jonathan Ryan

Failed every exam (but he had fun tryin’)

He told us all he was useless at addition

But next thing we knew, he’d been charged with sedition

We're so glassy-eyed this morning

2010-12-02T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3527)

This was a tough shot to take, despite the fact that it looks easy when presented this way. It was taken indoors in a Kuala Lumpur shopping mall in January this year. I spotted these unusual mannequins and while the lighting wasn't great, I wondered if it would be sufficient to present all four mannequins in a row.

You have to remember, too, that I never use a tripod! With people streaming past constantly in both directions, I had to consider my options before deciding how best to use the unique "heads". I also figured that the dark dresses and the black-themed interior of the shop would be the best contrast for the glassy droids.

Verse and worse

2010-12-01T12:01:00.002+11:00

Jack fell down and broke his crown

And Jill came tumbling after

The lawyer’s face revealed a frown

As he sued for a broken rafter

So they roped you in as well?

2010-12-01T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Sydney2010-7235)

It's not your normal view of a retired naval cruiser, but who wants a normal view for any photographic image? I stopped to admire the symmetry of the vessel's graceful bow, accentuated by the curvature of the number 11 on either side.

Really the only thing that was not symmetrical was the jetty rope - but that didn't worry me. This was shot at the Australian Maritime Museum in Sydney.

Verse and worse

2010-11-30T12:01:00.000+11:00

The master builder taught his daughter

How to lay bricks and prepare the mortar

Her skills and talents could not be finer

Now she's cloning the Great Wall of China

Identify this mystery object

2010-11-30T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 7323)

OK, so it's not the most common viewpoint. That's because I stood with my back to the object, bent over as far as I could, and shot it upwards to get the most unconventional angle. Yes, I must have looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame in reverse!

But can you guess what I've shot? Feel free to post your guesses as comments - and yes, you can guess as many times as you want. I'll reveal the answer in 24 hours, but if you just cannot wait that long, you can check the high-resolution image here on my Red Bubble site to see what the answer is.

Verse and worse

2010-11-29T12:01:00.000+11:00

The new lighthouse keeper

Is such a heavy sleeper

That he sets eight alarms to rise every morning

And take on his duties even while he's still yawning

Dune not disturb

2010-11-29T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 122-3368)

I love a decent abstract as much as the next photographer, so I found this simple sight really arresting. Why? Simply because of the strong shapes and the bold colours - and I guess the unusual view as well.

This was a temporary outdoor stall at Melbourne's Docklands precinct, shot on a very warm summer's day on 10 January this year. The central pole swept the canvas upwards sharply, which was perfect for the way I "saw" the image, contrasting that bright yellow against the strong shadow and the flawless blue Australian sky.

Verse and worse

2010-11-28T12:01:00.001+11:00

William Spode bought "Abbey Road"

But his credit card began to implode

Downloading the Beatles brought him so much delight

That he logged into iTunes right through the night

Never yawn, from dusk to morn

2010-11-28T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-8530)

It's not often you get to photograph dusk over your own country and then, scant hours later, dawn over the Pacific. But here's the tricky bit, right? The first image shows dusk on 23rd June 2010 and the next one shows dawn on - that's right, the same day!

The shot above was taken a couple of hours into the long haul from Sydney to San Francisco aboard a United Boeing 747. Then some hours later, I gazed through my window as I tried to sleep - and sat there transfixed by the colours that began to develop on the horizon, from my vantage point more than 30,000 feet up.

I was really tired, but I got to my feet, walked back a couple of rows, took my camera from the overhead locker - and then made my way to the rear of the plane, to shoot some frames through the tiny observation porthole in the last emergency door.

It was well worth the effort. I can now claim to have photographed dawn AFTER shooting dusk on the same day.

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-8533)

Verse and worse

2010-11-27T12:01:00.002+11:00

It was terribly sad to see Angus McCracken

Get his new grey trousers ripped by the bracken

So he patched the holes and sold them for a shilling

To Raggedy Fred, who was ever so willing

Some drivers are so ... pig-headed

2010-11-27T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID:USA2010-Long Island-8645)

We were in a hurry, catching up with close friends for dinner in Long Island. It was late evening and the light was fading quickly. But after we'd parked and were on our way to the restaurant (Smokin Al's, a rib joint) I noticed this mural on a wall.

I didn't even need to tell Mrs Authorblog and the Authorbloglets that I was stopping to take the photo. They had seen the mural too - and turned around because they kinda KNEW what I was going to do next.

By the way, during the meal, one of our friends, whom we've known for many years, told me that she used to read my blog regularly and asked why I had suddenly shut it down. Now that I've resumed the blog, I'd better get in touch with her so that she resumes her reading habit ....

Verse and worse

2010-11-26T12:01:00.002+11:00

Great-uncle Bryce was addicted to dice

He'd gamble his wages without thinking twice

He'd look for a contest when he went for his stroll

But he won lots of gold - he was always on a roll

Wiggypedia gets a facelift

2010-11-26T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 124-6129)

This might look like a page out of the French Revolution or from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but it was nothing as dramatic as either of those options. It was simply a performer at the Moomba street parade, shot in March this year.

I used a 70-300mm lens for the duration of the parade, because the focal range gave me a variety of options. From memory, this was shot at 300mm. The performers were twirling and moving constantly - but this great costume really caught my eye.

From memory, I shot about three or four frames very quickly, but this one is the best in terms of clarity. No, there was no one doing red carpet interviews! Or even green carpet interviews ....

Verse and worse

2010-11-25T12:01:00.001+11:00

Henry Moloney was ever so bony

So he ate fried mushrooms laced with baloney

He began to work out, now he's sinew and muscles

And the women all love him in faraway Brussels

Yup, the pizza dough was ... light

2010-11-25T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-LongIsland-8590)

So there we were, the entire Authorblog clan, dining out with close friends at Bertucci's in Long Island. It was late in the evening, we'd all had a long day, but we reckoned we could all fit in some pizza (most of us) or pasta (some of us).

As always, I had my trusty camera beside me. (Yes, like Mary's little lamb in the nursery rhyme, it went everywhere with me in NYC, as it always does.) And when I noticed the reflections in the interior of this lamp above our table, I had to ask permission to use my camera. Just as you would have, too.

And the pizza? A big thumbs up. Yes, I'd go back.

Verse and worse

2010-11-24T12:01:00.003+11:00

Alas, the frustrations of Scientist Jones

His experiments failed to produce any clones

But all he could say was "By gosh and by golly"

When he saw reports of a sheep called Dolly

Mall things bright and beautiful

2010-11-24T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-Long Island-8626)

This was shot at a large shopping mall in Long Island in June this year. The geometrical precision of the huge cupola above our heads had me standing there, looking upwards as though I were taking in some metallic equivalent of the Sistine Chapel. Oh well, you get my drift, right?

But I didn't just want a shot of the dome. So I found an angle from which I could include a tall indoor tree just to introduce an extra point of interest. Not an easy angle to shoot, but quite a rewarding one to look back on.

Verse and worse

2010-11-23T12:01:00.002+11:00

Miss Harlequin Bunning

Looked ever so stunning

In a gown of laced pearls

Before emp'rors and earls

Bold as brass

2010-11-23T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 124-6111)

Shooting images during street parades can be really difficult. On the plus side, you are outdoors, so you have good light, and bright colours to work with. But people are constantly moving in front of you (even if you are over six foot tall and standing on tiptoe) and those who are part of the parade are constantly in motion.

But I shot this during the Moomba parade here in Melbourne in March. Beautiful day. Plenty of sunshine. And I decided to use the longer of my two lenses, replacing my 18-125mm lens with a 70-300mm lens. This gave me great depth of field as I zoomed in on this tuba player.

Did you notice the reflection on his brass instrument, showing the city skyline behind him - and the crowds lining St Kilda Road in front of him? If you want to see the original high-res version of this shot on my Red Bubble site, just click here.

Verse and worse

2010-11-21T12:01:00.000+11:00

``Whatever,'' mused the oracle, ``would rhyme with `tumbler'?''

``I know,'' said his pupil, ``why don't you try `bumbler'?''

And so on they did joust, with such mental alacrity

That they tied in a contest, for Rhyme King Of The Ditty

Wonder why he looks so familiar

2010-11-21T00:01:00.003+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID:122-4401)

With these strong colours, you might think this was shot on Caribbean soil, but it wasn't. I was striding down Flinders Street in central Melbourne on a Friday afternoon in January this year when I noticed this vivid evocation of Steve Wonder.

It wasn't the only one on the wall of a store that opened up onto the busy street. There were many famous musicians depicted in an amazing mural. I was in a hurry that afternoon, so I only shot two or three frames, but I reckon it's high time I went back there to find out who painted these great images.

Verse and worse

2010-11-20T12:01:00.001+11:00

If you love to pose

With a freshly cut rose

Then nuthin' will thrill yer

Like a purple grevillea

Just gimme a ball park figure

2010-11-20T00:01:00.006+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID MCMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-NYC02July-1050)

There aren't many shots I take with a focal length of only 18mm, but this is one of them. It was shot late on a perfect evening in early July in New York's Central Park, as a single batter limbered up, with long shadows showing how late in the day it was when I took the photograph..

The range of colours, as well as the strong horizontal patterns, had to be captured against that beautiful sky. For us, it was strange to be walking through Central Park in shorts and T-shirts, because frosty Melbourne was in the grip of winter when we flew out.

Verse and worse

2010-11-19T12:01:00.003+11:00

There once was a bloke called Wilberforce Schneider

Who slid down ALL banisters (and was nicknamed The Slider)

He did blackflips and star jumps and 360-spanglers

But his mother complained that he ruined his Wranglers

This seat fits like a ... glove

2010-11-19T00:01:00.005+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-Long Island-8563)

I'd never seen anything so unique - or colourful. On our first day in Long Island, we drove past an ice cream parlour that had these outdoor chairs in the late-June sunshine, so of course I had to stop to take a shot.

About a week later, we went back there, on a dual mission. Not only did I have to find out if the "chairs" were locally made, I also had to sample the ice cream as well. Turns out the chairs were ordered specially from a non-NYC manufacturer and shipped in.

And the ice cream? The Authorbloglets and I gave it a thumbs up!

Verse and worse

2010-11-18T12:01:00.000+11:00

Lord Balfour was ill (so terribly stricken)

When he ate his enemy's poisoned chicken

His lips turned blue, his hips wouldn't move

But a drink of fine port gave him back his groove

What kind of honeycomb is that?

2010-11-18T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 131-6646)

It's not a honeycomb. It's not an advertising hoarding. It's not a computer game. It's not some hi-tech set for a television game show, either.

I shot this in an amusement parlour a few weeks ago, with the permission of the staff. As soon as I saw the changing colours on these segmented platforms, each for a single player, I knew I had to take a shot. I chose my angle carefully, to include the silhouette on the right and the metal stool on the left.

By shooting it from side-on, I figured it would create a more interesting (even perhaps intriguing) sight than shooting it from front-on. This angle also gave me the added attraction of the reflections on both sides of the metal.

Verse and worse

2010-11-17T12:01:00.001+11:00

Because her brain was affected (by weevil)

Lady Macbeth never thought she was evil

She thought it her duty, as a nobleman's wife

To know how to use a sharp stabbing knife

Cutting remark

2010-11-17T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 132-8552)

Let me start by saying the cutting remark was not made by me. It was made by one of our neighbours, when we happened to meet at a recent wedding. And no, the cutting remark was not made in a mean-spirited way. All she wanted was a rose (you guessed it) cutting.

She explained that she drives past Casa Authorblog every morning and throughout spring and summer she really enjoys the sight of the sea of roses that adorn the western perimeter of our property. They are a variety of colours, with traditional bushes mixed with climbing roses - and our neighbour says they bring her joy every morning as she goes to work.

And then she made me promise that the next time I prune the roses, I will give her a selection of cuttings for her own garden. Gotta love those "cutting" remarks, right?

Verse and worse

2010-11-16T12:01:00.000+11:00

Nuthin's colder or windier

Than the far north of India

Where my first cousin Betty

Rode to school on a yeti

A real display of inviting colours

2010-11-16T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3816)

Perhaps this was once the main entrance to a pagoda. There was no one around to tell me if this was a real pagoda or not, or whether it used to be one many years ago. This was adjacent to the entrance of a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur - and really whetted my curiosity.

I was drawn to the shapes and the bright colours - but I also wondered about the unpainted wooden square on the right. Perhaps it once held flowers or incense. It just doesn't seem to be part of the original structure. If you have any theories, do let me know.

Verse and worse

2010-11-15T12:01:00.000+11:00

The dance instructor, he was so miffed

When they told him he moved way too swift

So he took them round, from waltz to jive

Before the pupils could count to five

Going for gold

2010-11-15T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 125-7680)

Sometimes the more unusual shots occur in places where you wouldn't instinctively look. There was a great sunset across the Yarra on a late-April evening, and after I took a couple of shots across the shimmering river, I turned my attention to the city skyline in the opposite direction.

Briefly, the golden glow transformed an ordinary office building into a huge vertical ingot - yet it didn't endow the surrounding buildings with any special effects. I guess I framed this tight image to concentrate on the contrast, to highlight the semi-abstract view, and to include the nearby spire of St Paul's Cathedral. And yes, the flawless sky can be seen as well, between the skyscrapers.

Who said city skylines are dull?

Verse and worse

2010-11-14T12:01:00.002+11:00

Monsignor Noakes drank several Cokes

And fell in a heap beneath the oaks

The doctor (a swine) said ''You’ll soon be fine ….

But next time stick to Communion wine’’

Raise the red lantern

2010-11-14T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3575)

I shot this outside the Pavilion centre in Kuala Lumpur on a hot, humid January day this year. We had walked past the place the previous evening and my attention was caught by a beautiful floral display in the courtyard, as well as the lanterns that seemed to rain down from the atrium above.

But the real challenge was to shoot the red cascade from a different point of view, rather than simply front-on. By shooting it from directly underneath, it brought fresh perspective, as well as the reflections behind the lanterns. For me, the bonus was being able to see the clear glass atrium above, with the geometrical squares against the sky.

By the way, if you fancy your powers of observation, take a simple 30-second challenge here that I've posted on my Red Bubble site.

Verse and worse

2010-11-13T12:01:00.000+11:00

So proud and tall above the marble plinth

Stood a lead-crystal vase of water hyacinth

No rose-like aroma, no clustered azalea

The botanist felt like a miserable failure

Studying for your bar exam?

2010-11-13T00:01:00.006+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 131-7720)

We had just finished dinner at the Hog's Breath Cafe when the lighting around the bar area caught my eye. By this time we were out on the wide pedestrian walkway, and I knew I didn't really have enough time to go back inside.

So I shot this from outside, looking through the wide glass window that allows passers-by to look into the cafe. I could have shot a really tight frame, with just the black silhouettes against the blue-lit bar, but it was much more fun to allow one of the wooden chairs to intrude in the foreground!

By the way, did you look close enough to spot the reflection on the top of the chair in the middle?

And if you want to take part in a fun title-writing contest on my Red Bubble site, just click here to enter (or simply view) the entries for a "numbers" image with a difference!

Verse and worse

2010-11-12T12:01:00.002+11:00

The bloke next door is Big Tim Buck

He drives a massive haulage truck

He has two does and one buck (Hugh)

The deer farm helps pay Tim Buck, too

All the fun of the fare

2010-11-12T00:01:00.006+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-01July-0274)

If you're familiar with my photography, whether it is here on my blog or on my Red Bubble site, you'd know that I enjoy shooting familiar objects from unusual angles. (This is only a low-res version, but if you'd like to view the full-size original on my Red Bubble page, just click here.)

So when Mrs Authorblog and I took the Authorbloglets to the Big Apple in late June this year, we figured we had to take one of those open-top bus tours to see as much of Manhattan as swiftly as we could, while trying to cover all the major spots on foot. It's a good thing I'm used to firing off shots from a moving vehicle, after my experiences in the Yukon and certain other spots around the world.

This shot was taken from my vantage spot on the left-hand side of the top of the bus. I was using my standard 18-125mm lens, rather than the 70-300mm lens I always carry with me. It was more than sufficient to compose a tight frame of a familiar symbol of NYC, albeit from a point of view not often seen.

Verse and worse

2010-11-11T12:01:00.002+11:00

Lord Balfour surveyed the gathering rabble

But called on his courtiers for a game of Scrabble

“Instead of sending soldiers to our stout wooden door

I’d much rather play for a triple word score.”

Lest we forget

2010-11-11T00:01:00.003+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-021July-0337)

This just seemed to be an appropriate image to post today. As you'd remember, my post yesterday was about an Australian veteran from World War II, but this shot is for my friends in the United States, as they celebrate Veterans Day.

This was shot in the first week of July this year, as we soaked up the atmosphere of New York City. But if you're curious about where this image was taken, displaying light and shade in an extremely historic part of the city, all you have to do is check out an image I posted on my Red Bubble site here along with my reason/s why it was one of the most significant moments of my trip.

Verse and worse

2010-11-10T12:01:00.001+11:00

Doctor Perkin and the redoubtable Nurse Firkin

Found a defribilator that just wasn’t workin’

So they ripped out the paddles and called Doctor Carter

To see if they’d substitute his Bentley’s self-starter

Homage to a World War II airman

2010-11-10T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 125-7670)

These two images are part of a series I shot while talking to a gentleman who served as a gunner in the RAAF during World War II. We spoke for a few minutes at Southbank, Melbourne, just before the Anzac Day parade on Sunday April 25 this year.

He wore his service medals anchored to the zipper pocket of the dark blue civilian jacket he wore - and he spoke about his time in the Pacific theatre of war. At the time, the telemovie "The Pacific", co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, had just begun screening on Australian television - and we spoke about the accuracy of its depiction.

His chest proudly bore the Pacific Star, among other wartime ribbons. It is the second medal from the left, in the first of these images. I thanked him for being so generous with his time - and when we shook hands before he walked on, I thanked him for his service, too.

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 125-7670)

Verse and worse

2010-11-09T12:01:00.003+11:00

Vincent van Gogh once painted a crow

Its plumage was white as the purest snow

And when Warhol returned from far-off Guadeloupe

He brought ten crates of canned Campbell's Soupe

We three kings of Orient are

2010-11-09T00:01:00.014+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3463)

Appearances can sometimes be deceptive. This might look as if it were shot in some fine theatre, with all the trappings of art and culture. However, it was shot in the basement of a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur.

It was mid-January this year, but the pre-Chinese New Year festivities had already begun. All the street decorations were ablaze and every major intersection carried a colourful reminder of the auspicious time that was fast approaching.

When this play began, I was on the fringe of the crowd of onlookers. Anxious to find out whether I could use my camera, I caught the eye of a security guard, pointed to the camera around my neck and was delighted when he gave me a big thumbs-up. The light wasn't great, because it was not a true theatrical setting - but I was pretty pleased with the way some of the shots turned out.

Verse and worse

2010-11-08T12:01:00.000+11:00

My first cousin Trent hitch-hiked to Kent

Leaving size 16 footprints wherever he went

He was sponsored by Kumar and well shod by Puma

And regaled the drivers with his great sense of humour

That ain't how you clock off

2010-11-08T00:01:00.017+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON. (Image ID: 129-5731)

It's not a movie set. It's not a theatre rehearsal. It's not even a real person, so you can relax! This lifelike figure is suspended high above the entrance to the Pancake Parlour at the Jam Factory, in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Prahran.

The figure clings to the hands of the clock - and I was immediately caught up by the challenge of finding the best angle and the most suitable focal length to capture it. From memory, I shot about five or six frames before deciding this one was the most dramatic.

Verse and worse

2010-11-07T12:01:00.000+11:00

Before he embarks on each roller-coaster ride

Pastor Mullally must be firmly hog-tied

Or else he'll chant and invoke the heavens

While he continues to rant at young Pastor Evans

Please don't shut me out

2010-11-07T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: SingaporeA2007-1603)

I shot this at Clarke Quay, Singapore, in mid-December 2007, during a brief stopover on my way to India. The quay is a lodestone for photographers, not just because of its range of colours, but also for the way it preserves the city-state's colonial past.

While trying to take in the huge range of colours, I suddenly spotted this muted scene - a simple facade with monochromatic windows closed against the tropical heat and humidity, flanked by the dark foliage of a large tree. The simplicity of it all had to be captured, right?

Verse and worse

2010-11-06T12:01:00.000+11:00

My next-door neighbour, Mr Algernon Boyd

Was told by his shrink that he lived in a void

So now he tap-dances all the way down the streets

And tips his top hat to each lady he meets

Whose hairstyle is better, buddy?

2010-11-06T00:01:00.005+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-01July-0472)

When I first saw this mural in Manhattan, I was only mildly interested - but when a passer-by appeared, I knew I had an extra perspective. I had to work quickly to take the shot, because as you know, New York can get very crowded and a clear field of vision can swiftly change.

From memory, this was shot in the vicinity of the Empire State Building. It was fairly late in the evening, but because we were there in summer, the light was still strong enough for me. Only just strong enough!

Verse and worse

2010-11-05T12:01:00.003+11:00

So Obama's in "neutral" and the House has changed hands

The voters have spoken, amid shifting sands

Even Arnie's departed, with a brave "See you later"

And Jerry's moved in, to replace Terminator

Star shows up for a jam session

2010-11-05T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 129-5738)

Okay, so it's not a real star - but you can understand why I saw the resemblance. This unusual ceiling is part of the Jam Factory here in Melbourne.

Definitely one of the places to be in the uber-trendy suburb of Prahran, it comprises a shopping mall, cinema and restaurant complex. And do you know where it gets its name from? Simple - it was once (you guessed it) a jam factory.

Verse and worse

2010-11-04T12:01:00.001+11:00

Way out in space, it’s a special occasion

A decade of humans aboard the space station

The crew can’t play football, or bring home fresh prawns

But there’s no noisy neighbours, or mowing of lawns

Soft embrace of silk and timber

2010-11-04T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 129-5811)

The silky fabric of these miniature Chinese souvenirs caught my eye because of the bright colours, and also because of the yellow script on their surface.

They were for a wedding and this was shot indoors, in soft morning light, so the colours really worked well against the Asian timber. I shot about five or six frames, with slightly different angles, but the depth of field seemed to work best on this shot.

Verse and worse

2010-11-03T12:01:00.000+11:00

No mood is more bellicose
Than Rear-Admiral Jellicoe's
He ordered the fleet from New York to Crete
With no thought of danger, or fear of defeat

No Big Bang, but is it a starburst?

2010-11-03T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 131-6722)

As soon as I saw these plants in our local nursery, I snapped them up - and now they grace the garden at Casa Authorblog. They burst into bloom at the start of spring and are extremely sun-sensitive, so they close up at night and in cloudy conditions.

The plants are called "osteospermum" – the white variety in the foreground is called Afrikaan pearl and the deep pink one in the background is called Afrikaan crystal.

Verse and worse

2010-11-02T12:01:00.001+11:00

A little dry-cleaner on Netherby Road

Claimed to have found the lost nuclear code

He said he discovered it near a row of old bowsers

With a notice that said: ``Press with Bill Clinton's trousers''.

Sole survivors

2010-11-02T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3456)

So you're wondering what on earth I've shot here? They're just rubber beach sandals, displayed on a rack at a store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

By shooting really close up and by concentrating on the colours and shapes, there is a semi-abstract quality to the image. Hopefully it's the kind of composition that makes you look closer!

Verse and worse

2010-11-01T12:01:00.001+11:00

Devils and wraiths and witches and warlocks
Dastardly demons that tug at their forelocks
Are they netherworld dwellers ever so keen?
No, they're just children, enjoying Halloween

Classic art can be such a pipe dream

2010-11-01T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID:131-6570)

Sometimes you see Renaissance-style art in the strangest places. This mural brought me to a halt as I walked down Lygon Street in central Melbourne about three weeks ago. It's not a huge wall, more like a small rectangle tucked into an inconspicuous spot beside the cafes that line the famous stretch of road.

But look carefully at the mural and you'll see that the exterior pipes have obviously been there for years. This in turn would suggest that the mural is fairly recent, and has been painted around the pipes.

Look at the image below and you'll also notice a clue that Lygon Street is famous for its cafes and multicultural cuisine. Can you see the glass that someone has left on the low parapet on the left? And there's something else there too, that I didn't notice until I reviewed these images on my computer screen - the artist has left his mobile (or cell phone) number under the dials on the bottom left-hand side of the image.

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID:131-6570)

Verse and worse

2010-10-31T12:01:00.000+11:00

Have you ever watched a conger

Grow an inch as it gets stronger?
It's all about the speed it feels
As it shows a clean pair of eels

How I met the First Lady of NYC

2010-10-31T00:01:00.001+11:00

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: NYC1July-0070)

As regular readers of this blog are aware, I do not posts shots of myself, but I simply HAD to make an exception in this case. I had told my good friend Daryl that we would be in New York City in late June-early July this year and truth be told, meeting her face-to-face for the first time was very special.

It was only after we returned home to Melbourne that I realised Daryl had very kindly posted a shot of us here.

We were all so touched that she actually took the time to leave work mid-morning to meet the entire Authorblog family in Times Square. And when I rocked up (a minute late) she was already deep in conversation with Mrs Authorblog. I suspect that the DNM (deep and meaningful) had something to do with retail therapy, but I cannot speculate further, so can you stop twisting my arm now.

At the time, I had stopped blogging to concentrate on my novels, and Daryl and I briefly touched on the possibility that I might resurrect this blog one day. I also apologised for my uncharacteristic four-day stubble - but the woman who long ago christened me "Den Mom" said she would overlook it, only this once!

By the way, if you want to enter a title-writing contest for an unusual image I recently posted, just click here - or even just look at some of the witty titles that visitors have already posted.

Verse and worse

2010-10-30T12:01:00.003+11:00

There's no time for vanity
At the Rally To Restore Sanity
So show that you care - support Stewart and Colbert
With minutes to spare, you just have to be there

Hello, is it me you're looking for?

2010-10-30T00:01:00.002+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3437)

As soon as I saw the word emblazoned in white on this public phone booth in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in January this year, I thought of the Lionel Richie hit song, Hello.

This was very close to our hotel and I shot this image just after we had checked in, dropped our bags off and headed out to explore a city we hadn't seen in more than six months. In order to get this shot, I had to wait to get a clear field of vision on a busy footpath.

We saw more phone booths around the city, all in the same distinctive colour scheme - but none of them with the paint so fresh. I've seen some pretty interesting public phones around the world, but this one was up there with the best of them, for sure.

Verse and worse

2010-10-29T12:01:00.000+11:00

Nintendo and its boss have been plagued by their loss

And the shareholders themselves are exceedingly cross

They'll run past the steeple

As they sing: ``Wii the people''.

The day's last patch of colour

2010-10-29T00:01:00.000+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID:124-6437)

You know how you sometimes get a lucky shot? This was the perfect example. I shot this back in March this year. I was on a freeway, driving south into gathering darkness. I had hills in front of me, cloaked in the black velvet of warm night. But my rear view mirror? Ah, that was a different matter altogether ....

I could see a rapidly diminishing patch of sky behind me, reflected in my mirror, with a range of vivid colours. But I was certainly not going to pull off the freeway just to take a shot or two.

When I eventually came to my exit, the patch of colours had shrunk to a tiny area above the distant horizon. On the expanse of the exit ramp, in little or no traffic, I finally pulled over with plenty of space to spare. How lucky was I: instead of my normal 18-125mm lens, my camera had a 70-300mm lens fitted, so I didn't have to carry out a quick swap.

This was shot at the full extent of the 300mm lens - and yes, the telephone pole actually gave the frame a bit of character as I shot into the distance.

Verse and worse

2010-10-28T13:05:00.000+11:00

Yes, you might shiver

At Brandywine River

But if you want more

Head for Arkansas

Steel yourself

2010-10-28T05:54:00.004+11:00

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Sydney2010-6640)

This was shot beneath one of the world's great landmarks, but can you guess which one it is? I was captivated not just by the graceful street lamp but by the many geometrical silhouettes I could see here - squares, rectangles, circles, triangles and arcs.

No, it's not the Eiffel Tower. No, it ain't the Golden Gate Bridge. I shot this on home soil. Any ideas? OK - I'll reveal this was shot in New South Wales. If you said I was standing underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, then you are absolutely right!

I shot this on the Easter weekend this year. We were with close friends at the open-air weekend market at The Rocks, the historic harbourside area, when I decided to walk underneath the bridge to see if I could perhaps conjure up a "different" view of the much-photographed Australian icon.

Verse and worse

2010-10-27T12:01:00.000+11:00

Yes, Kanye West, you would know best

And your diamond implants are no passing jest

I reckon you've started a dentistry trend

Now that your gnashers are a girl's best friend